THE FIRST MOTHER
1497 Words
“He started it trying to stop me.”
The words settled over the chamber like smoke.
Elara stared at the woman behind the barrier.
“No.”
The woman smiled.
“An understandable response.”
“Who are you?”
Amara pulled against the golden chains. “Elara, don’t speak to her.”
“Everybody keeps telling me not to speak to people who have answers.”
“She doesn’t give answers. She twists them.”
The woman laughed softly.
“And yet you chained yourself here for six months because you know I speak enough truth to frighten you.”
Elara looked at her mother.
“Six months?”
Amara’s silence confirmed it.
The woman pressed her palm against the barrier.
“My name is Selene Vale.”
Adrian went rigid.
“That’s impossible.”
Selene’s silver eyes shifted toward him.
“Hello, Adrian.”
He backed away.
“You died before the Crimson War.”
“So history says.”
Elara’s head was beginning to hurt.
“Can one person in this family please actually stay dead when I’m told they’re dead?”
Seraphina raised her hand slightly.
“Vampire family. I understand.”
Lucien gave her a tired look.
Elara almost smiled.
Almost.
Then another crack spread across the barrier.
Amara cried out.
“Alaric!”
The vampire king moved instantly.
He sliced his palm with one fang and pressed it against a symbol carved into the floor.
Crimson magic spread through the chamber.
The cracks stopped.
Temporarily.
Selene looked amused.
“You always were obedient.”
Alaric’s face hardened.
“Be silent.”
“You know that has never worked.”
Elara stared between them.
“You know her personally?”
Alaric didn’t answer.
“Of course you do.”
Lucien stepped toward his father.
“How long?”
Alaric kept his bleeding hand against the symbol.
“Longer than you’ve been alive.”
Lucien’s expression darkened.
“You’re three hundred and forty-six.”
Seraphina frowned.
“Selene lived thousands of years ago.”
“Her body did,” Maeve whispered.
Elara looked at her.
Maeve stared at the barrier.
“Her spirit survived.”
Selene smiled.
“Finally, the little witch contributes.”
Maeve’s magic flared.
“Say another word about me and I’ll—”
“What? Strengthen the prison?”
Selene laughed.
“You couldn’t hold me for a day.”
Maeve’s face tightened.
Elara stepped forward.
“What are you?”
Selene looked at her.
“The beginning.”
“That means nothing.”
“It will.”
“Then make it mean something.”
Selene’s smile faded.
“Before wolves had packs, vampires had kings, or witches had councils, magic belonged to the earth. Humans touched it accidentally. Some survived.”
She placed a hand over her chest.
“I was one.”
Maeve whispered, “The First Witch.”
Selene nodded.
“I learned that magic could change blood.”
Elara’s stomach twisted.
“You created supernatural species?”
“Not alone.”
Amara shouted, “Enough!”
Selene ignored her.
“I created Malachi.”
Adrian’s breathing changed.
Elara frowned.
“You’re his mother?”
“The first Eclipse-Born was my son.”
Everything suddenly felt colder.
Which meant Selene wasn’t simply some distant ancestor.
She was Adrian’s grandmother.
And something far more dangerous.
“Why combine the species?”
Selene’s expression softened.
“Because they were destroying one another.”
Elara glanced at Amara.
Her mother shook her head.
“Don’t believe her.”
Selene continued.
“I wanted a child who could unite them.”
“And Malachi turned evil?”
Pain crossed Selene’s face.
“My son betrayed me.”
Amara laughed bitterly.
“Tell her why.”
Selene’s silver eyes flashed.
Amara looked at Elara.
“Because Malachi discovered what unity meant to her.”
Selene slammed both hands against the barrier.
The chamber shook.
“Quiet!”
Elara didn’t move.
“What did it mean?”
Amara answered.
“One mind.”
Elara’s blood chilled.
“One what?”
“Selene didn’t want peace between the supernatural races.”
Amara looked toward the imprisoned woman.
“She wanted to connect every supernatural creature to herself.”
Kael’s face hardened.
“Like a pack link?”
“Much stronger.”
Maeve whispered, “A hive.”
Selene smiled.
“A family.”
“No,” Elara said.
Selene looked at her.
“No war. No betrayal. No loneliness. Imagine it, Elara. Every wolf, vampire, and witch connected. Every thought understood.”
“No choice.”
“Choice creates suffering.”
Elara thought of Kael rejecting her.
Of Maeve lying.
Of her mother disappearing.
Of Lucien being used.
Pain did come from choices.
But so did love.
“You don’t want a family,” Elara said. “You want puppets.”
Selene’s smile disappeared.
Behind Elara, Adrian whispered, “That’s why Malachi fought her.”
Amara nodded.
“He discovered her plan.”
“But history says he wanted to control everyone.”
“Because Selene won.”
Elara turned sharply.
“What?”
“Not the war.”
Amara’s eyes filled with sadness.
“The story.”
Selene laughed.
“History belongs to whoever survives.”
Elara looked at Alaric.
“You knew?”
“Some of it.”
“How much?”
“Enough to fear both of them.”
Selene’s expression sharpened.
“Malachi was no hero.”
Amara nodded reluctantly.
“She’s right.”
Adrian looked at his mother.
“You just said he tried to stop her.”
“He did.”
“Then why imprison him?”
“Because he became exactly what he hated.”
Silence.
Amara continued.
“To defeat Selene, Malachi learned to dominate wolves, vampires, and witches. At first he used it only against her followers.”
“And later?”
“He stopped asking whether people wanted his protection.”
Elara understood.
“He became like her.”
“Yes.”
Selene smiled proudly.
“He was always my son.”
Another crack appeared.
This one larger.
Amara screamed as golden light poured from her wrists.
Elara moved toward her.
“Stay back!”
“I can help.”
“You can also free her.”
Selene looked directly at Elara.
“Or you can finally free yourself.”
Elara’s power stirred.
Lucien immediately noticed.
“Elara.”
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re glowing.”
She looked down.
Golden lines were moving beneath her skin.
Toward the barrier.
Selene smiled.
“There you are.”
Elara backed away.
The glow followed.
“What is she doing?”
“Nothing,” Amara said.
“That’s the problem.”
Elara stared.
Amara’s voice shook.
“The prison recognizes your blood.”
Selene pressed her palm against the barrier.
“And her blood recognizes me.”
“No.”
Elara clenched her fists.
“I don’t recognize you.”
“Your mind doesn’t.”
Selene smiled.
“Your power does.”
Suddenly Elara’s body jerked forward.
Lucien grabbed her.
The instant he touched her, crimson and gold light exploded between them.
Elara screamed.
Lucien held tighter.
“Elara!”
Kael grabbed her other arm.
Silver light joined the gold.
The pull stopped.
Everyone froze.
Three colors twisted around Elara.
Gold.
Crimson.
Silver.
Amara stared.
“That shouldn’t be possible.”
Elara struggled to breathe.
“What?”
Amara looked at Kael.
Then Lucien.
Then her daughter.
“The two bonds are balancing each other.”
Kael frowned.
“You said Lucien isn’t her mate.”
“He isn’t.”
Lucien’s grip loosened.
Amara shook her head.
“But whatever Alaric did connected Lucien to Elara’s Eclipse power.”
Her eyes moved to Kael.
“And the Moon Goddess connected Kael to her wolf.”
Elara’s stomach dropped.
“What does that mean?”
Before Amara could answer, Selene began laughing.
Not softly anymore.
Triumphantly.
The entire chamber shook.
A massive crack split the barrier from top to bottom.
Amara screamed.
Alaric shouted for everyone to move.
Elara refused.
“Mom!”
The golden chain around Amara’s right wrist shattered.
Selene pushed one arm through the barrier.
Maeve attacked with blue fire.
Selene swept her hand.
Maeve flew across the chamber.
“MAEVE!”
Adrian caught her before she struck the wall.
Selene reached toward Elara.
Lucien pulled her backward.
Kael stepped in front of her.
Selene smiled.
“You still don’t understand.”
Elara stared at her.
“Understand what?”
“I didn’t bring you here to free me.”
The remaining chain around Amara began cracking.
Selene’s eyes shifted toward Lucien.
“I brought you here because I needed the living seal.”
Lucien froze.
Elara grabbed him.
“What does she mean?”
Alaric’s face turned white.
“Lucien, run.”
Too late.
The floor beneath Lucien opened.
Black chains shot upward and wrapped around his body.
Elara screamed his name.
Selene smiled.
And Lucien disappeared beneath the floor.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD